Cardona slam lifts Panthers to sweep of Dodgers

June 21, 2012

SUGAR CITY — Cash Cardona hit a grand slam home run and the Panthers got complete game pitching efforts from Cardona and Shane Parkinson as they swept a road double header at Sugar City on Wednesday afternoon.
Parkinson got the day off on the right foot as he worked a complete seven innings, scattering 5 hits while striking out 12 in a 6-1 opening game victory.
"Shane was dominant in the first game and when he is on, like he was today he is more than capable of dominating," Snake River head coach Tom Strickland said.

Parkinson was helped offensively by his cousin Bret Parkinson who carried a very big stick in the opener with a 4 for 4 day which included a double and three runs scored.
Kaden Schmitt added a double in the win which had more than it's fair share of controversy as the umpire handed out warnings to both teams in the seventh inning of a game which had become chippy.
"Our guys just really have a good time together," Coach Strickland said. "They're a good bunch of kids and sometimes they get a little loud with their chatter and I don't think that Sugar's coach appreciated that. Most of the time our guys are chatting at each other though."
In the night cap Snake River came out firing with a four run first inning as they collected a trio of hits and a trio of Sugar-Salem fielding errors.
The Dodgers answered back with a four spot of their own to tie the game at 4-4 before Snake River took the lead for good with a three run second inning. Trey Serr, Cash Cardona and Travis Robertson each swatted singles against the knuckleballing Dodger pitcher while Shane Parkinson timed an off speed pitch for a double down the left field line.
"That second game it took a little while for us to settle in and time their pitcher," Coach Strickland said. "Once we did, we really started getting good swings at the ball and the homer by Cash was a heck of a hit."
Indeed, Cardona did put a charge into a pitch as he crushed a hanger deep into centerfield where it hit squarely on the top of the fence and bounced over for a grand slam as a trio of Panthers trotted home in front of Cardona for a commanding lead that eventually led to the ten run mercy rule victory.
In addition to Cardona, the Panthers also got multi hit games from Trey Serr, Bret Parkinson, Travis Robertson and Shane Parkinson.
Snake River (7-6) will return to the diamond on Friday when they play Blackfoot at Blackfoot in the opening round of the Black/Snake tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 10 A.M.